Oven doors, particularly those used with self-cleaning ovens, are subjected to relatively high temperatures, particularly during a self-cleaning cycle. Various arrangements for directing air through an oven door to cool an outer or front panel have previously been suggested. Examples of these air flow arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,776 to Frick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,138 to Upp, U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,890 to Evans et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,442 to Nuss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,571 to McFarland, U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,863 to Drouin, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,884 to Bonaccorsi et al.
Each of the aforesaid patents includes a pane of glass forming at least a portion of its outer surface with a substantially vertical air passage extending therethrough to cool portions of the outer surface of the door and the pane of glass. Most of the arrangements of the aforesaid patents have a relatively large number of parts including special support means for supporting the pane of glass.
Furthermore, only the aforesaid Bonaccorsi et al patent has an air flow arrangement in which air exits at its upper end adjacent a handle of the door. However, in the aforesaid Bonaccorsi et al patent, the path of the air flow from the air passage is down from the handle so as to not provide air flow from the air passage through air outlets in the same plane as the handle and toward the handle. Additionally, the aforesaid Bonaccorsi et al patent requires a fan in the oven to produce the air flow, which increases the manufacturing cost and decreases the energy efficiency.
The cooling arrangement of the present invention satisfactorily overcomes the problems of the aforesaid patents by achieving sufficient cooling by way of convective air flow. Thus, the cooling arrangement of the present invention eliminates the need for a fan as is required in the aforesaid Bonaccorsi et al patent. The cooling arrangement of the present invention also directs air from the air passage through air outlet means in substantially the same horizontal plane as the handle, thereby cooling the handle as well.
The cooling arrangement of the present invention also limits the temperature of the oven door above the pane of glass and beneath the air outlet means to acceptable limits through the use of a combined heat shield/reflector, which is supported adjacent the upper end of the pane of glass.